Football wrap: Streaking Beamer wins second in a row with first victory ever over Puyallup, 21-7

September 29, 2009 12:19 pm
Todd Beamer junior running back/defensive back Napa Mefi and the rest of the Titans won their second game in a row Saturday night with a 21-7 victory over Puyallup. It was Beamer's first-ever win over Puyallup and evened the Titans record to 2-2.
Todd Beamer junior running back/defensive back Napa Mefi and the rest of the Titans won their second game in a row Saturday night with a 21-7 victory over Puyallup. It was Beamer's first-ever win over Puyallup and evened the Titans record to 2-2.

The Todd Beamer High School football team is on a winning streak.

For the first time since September of 2007, the Titans have won two games in a row. Beamer took care of perennial power Puyallup Saturday night on the Vikings’ home field, Sparks Stadium. The Titans downed Puyallup, 21-7, to move to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the South Puget Sound League South Division.

Beamer started the 2007 season 2-0 before dropping 20 games in a row. That streak came to an end last week with a 13-7 win over Auburn Riverside in a non-league game.

Making the victory over Puyallup even more remarkable, is the fact that the Vikings pounded Beamer last season, 50-0. It was also the first time Beamer has beaten Puyallup during the six-year existence of the school.

For the second week in a row, the Titans used a pounding defense and a run-first, ball-control offense to come out with the victory.

After playing a scoreless first half, Beamer used a 19-play drive during the third quarter to score the first points of the game.

The Titans’ 72-yard drive took nearly 10 minutes off the clock and culminated with a 2-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Ben Draeger with just 15 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give Beamer a 6-0 lead.

Beamer running back Nicky Fualaau followed with a 4-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to give the Titans a 14-0 lead after Draeger converted the two-point conversion.

The Vikings (1-3) attempted a comeback with their only points of the game when Matt Becker hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Erin Barber to cut the Beamer lead to 14-7.

But Draeger put the game away with a 55-yard touchdown run to finalize the score.

Things don’t get any easier for the Titans. Beamer will take on the fifth-ranked Curtis Vikings in University Place Friday night.

Federal Way 49, Kentlake 14

The Federal Way Eagles seem to be back on track. The Eagles blew away the Kentlake Falcons, 49-14, Friday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium to win their second game in a row after starting the season 0-2.

The Eagles (2-2 overall, 1-2 in the SPSL North) got 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns from senior running back Trenton Pinson on only 11 carries. Federal Way also got a huge offensive game from junior quarterback Nick Tanielu.

Tanielu finished 12 of 19 passing for 218 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes and a rushing score.

The Eagles controlled the game from the opening kickoff and scored touchdowns on their first three possessions to take a 21-0 first-quarter lead. Kentlake cut the lead to 21-, but that was as close as it would get.

Federal Way’s defense was also solid against the Falcons (2-2). The Eagles held Kentlake to just 200 total yards and sacked Falcons’ quarterback Ryan Archibald five times during the game.

Pinson, who transferred to Federal Way from Jefferson after finishing as the state runner-up in the 100 and 200 meters in track, got things going for the Eagle offense with a 55-yard touchdown run. Tanielu followed with a 1-yard touchdown run and Pinson tallied his second first-quarter touchdown on a 12-yard run. Jajuan Davis caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from Tanielu in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 28-7 halftime lead.

Federal Way got second-half touchdowns from Daytrez Sterling on a 13-yard fumble return, Alden Coleman on a 28-yard touchdown catch and Jesse Hilsman on a 12-yard run.

The Eagles host the Tahoma Bears (3-1) Friday night in a big SPSL North game.

Curtis 68, Decatur 28

The Gators couldn’t hang with the unbeaten Curtis Vikings Friday night in University Place. The Vikings tallied 10 touchdowns, including six of 50 yards or more to drop the Gators to 2-2 on the season. It was Decatur’s second loss in a row after starting the year 2-0.

Things started off good for the Gators. Cary Carver caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Decatur quarterback Alex Bykovskiy early in the first quarter to give the Gators a 7-0 lead.

But Curtis followed with 41 points during the rest of the first half to take a 41-13 halftime lead. Decatur also got a second-quarter touchdown from Tyrone Faulkner on a 6-yard pass from Bykovskiy.

The Gators’ two second-half touchdowns came on a 70-yard kickoff return by Faulner in the third quarter and a 9-yard scoring run by Bykovskiy in the fourth quarter.

Decatur will try to get back on track Friday night when they travel to Bethel to take on the 3-1 Braves.

Auburn 55, Jefferson 14

The third-ranked Trojans (4-0) kept the Raiders winless on the season with a blowout win Thursday night at Federal Way Memorial Stadium.

The Raiders host Auburn Riverside Saturday night in Federal Way.